Kicking Techniques (Thanks to Alliance Leader "The Transcendent of All Heavens" for the reward)

"Hah!"

Gilan's eyes snapped open, and he began to gasp for air.

The icy cold, darkness, and suffocation of the lake bottom had quietly vanished, yet his heart still hammered with lingering fear.

Directly in his line of sight was the screen hanging on the wall of the storage room.

The room was unlit and dim, and the film on the screen was still playing, though it had reached the closing credits.

The camera angle looked down from the sky over Black Lake, where Fema lay quietly by the pier, while white text—the cast and crew list—slowly scrolled across the surface of the water...

"Acknowledgments: Cast List."

"Lead Actress 'Fema Castro', played by herself."

"Sheriff 'Pierre Aichi', guest-starring as 'Mr. A'."

"Friend A, played by 'Mr. Stork'."

"Friend B, played by 'Miss Sparrow'."

"Friend C, played by 'Mr. Snowy Owl'."

"..."

"Acknowledgments: Behind-the-Scenes Staff."

"Film Director, David Norman."

"Chief Cinematographer, Chloe Melanie."

"Script Supervisor Assistant, Hera Nibal."

"..."

"This film is dedicated to all those who risk their lives in pursuit of their dreams."

"May you eventually achieve what you desire."

"-- 'Director' (a blurred, illegible name)"

The background music for the film's credits remained that incredibly grating air-raid siren, causing Gilan to knit his brows in annoyance.

He couldn't help but feel a wave of confusion.

Does the air-raid siren sounding mean the movie is over? Then why, back in Moon-Scorched Village, did the siren have no pattern and always start blaring halfway through...

And... who is this "Mr. A" who guest-starred as the sheriff, "Pierre Aichi"? Could he be the same male actor from the adult film Miss Seagull was watching in the middle of the night?

But the problem is, this isn't an ordinary movie!

Or is "Mr. A" just a shared alias, like "Anonymous" or "John Doe" in my past life, where anyone can be "Mr. A"?

Gilan couldn't figure it out for the moment, so he had to set his questions aside.

Click.

Old Jerry flipped the light switch, and the storage room instantly brightened.

"Whew, whew..." Mr. Oystercatcher and the others lay slumped on the sofa, panting; the entire viewing of Black Lake had left them physically and mentally exhausted.

Mr. Stork hunched over, frowning, his left hand leaning on his Steel-core Cane while his right hand massaged his temple.

He had sustained some injuries in the film, leaving him with a throbbing headache.

After resting for a while.

"Mr. Snowy Owl, are you alright?" Mr. Stork turned to look at Gilan and asked in a deep voice, "I saw you suddenly jump into the lake..."

"I'm fine." Gilan stood up, shook his head, and stretched his limbs. "I originally wanted to go down and see what was at the bottom of the lake, but it was just pitch black; I didn't find anything."

"That was truly too reckless, Mr. Snowy Owl."

Miss Sparrow also rose from the sofa, smoothing out her wrinkled skirt as she spoke with concern.

"The alchemist in the movie died silently at the bottom of the lake. If there really is the power of some evil god lurking beneath Black Lake, you would have been in danger!"

"Miss Sparrow is right. Your act of jumping into Black Lake was very dangerous, and I do not approve of you doing so..."

Mr. Stork walked to the projector, pressed the power lever, and sighed.

"Impatience is a taboo in 'viewing.' It is better to watch it a few more times; remember not to try and take such risks. After all, we only have one life."

"I have been taught well." Gilan nodded. "I apologize. I won't do it again."

Mr. Stork grunted, saying nothing more.

In truth, he understood.

After all, Gilan was just a young man who had fought his way out of the slums. He had drive, courage, and a certain level of strength, but he lacked the patience to plan before acting... The relentless pursuit by the police department and the Louis Family must have placed immense pressure on him, making him desperate to obtain the power to protect himself.

There was nothing wrong with that, but he didn't want to see Gilan lose his life to recklessness.

That would be a loss for the Record Society as well.

"This 'Mercury Battery' has been completely drained."

Mr. Stork picked up the projector's power plug, gathered the black film reel, and spoke to the group.

"That concludes our 'viewing' for today. Everyone is tired, so get some good rest. As for the next 'Movie Day,' we will find another time to discuss it..."

"The narrative arc of Black Lake has been essentially explored. If the lake water truly has an effect, we can find time to go in and drink it again in the future. This film reel will be a precious treasure; everyone, remember not to leak word of this."

He instructed them solemnly.

The others understood this principle as well, so they nodded in agreement.

*

*

*

Gilan returned to Room 301.

Black Lake was the first movie he had experienced in its entirety. While the process could hardly be called perilous, his mind still felt a touch of fatigue.

He took off his felt hat, sprawled out on the comfortable bed, and let out a long breath.

Intending only to rest for a moment, he drifted off to sleep before he even realized it.

When he woke again, the sky outside the window was already at dusk.

Gilan rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up. After a moment of silence, he took off his brown trench coat and tossed it onto the bed along with his hat.

He then stood up, took two steps forward, and walked to an open space in the room.

'Iridescence.'

He called out silently in his heart, then immediately recalled the contents of the White Cross Body-Forging Technique in his mind.

Having accumulated 35 points of Mystic Energy during the movie Black Lake, Gilan wanted to see if he could continue to advance the stages of his body-forging technique.

Soon, his expression brightened.

The colorful number "35" in the corner of his vision flickered slightly, as if responding.

'It works! Excellent!'

Gilan was just about to take out the secret notebook containing the body-forging technique when he froze the next second.

The colorful number "35" suddenly plummeted, jumping rapidly until it finally settled at "5."

A full 30 points of Mystic Energy had been consumed for no apparent reason, and he had no idea what had happened. Just as doubt set in, an extremely complex and cryptic piece of information abruptly appeared in his mind, and at the same time, his body began to react strangely.

Click-clack...

Crack-crunch...

Gilan heard his leg joints popping, and hundreds of muscles began to contract and tighten on their own. He let out a muffled groan, collapsing to the floor from the intense pain.

"Urgh!!" Gilan gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating agony as he watched bulges ripple beneath his casual trousers, as if dozens of mice were burrowing under his muscles. "Argh!!"

His legs trembled like a cramp, stiffening and straightening, while his feet arched at a strange angle.

This transformation lasted for several minutes.

When it was all over, Gilan was drenched in sweat, his face flushed red.

But he recovered quickly; after taking a deep breath, he climbed up from the floor.

Why does it have to be this painful every single time...

Gilan stretched his legs and muttered to himself.

It's a pity that this improvement to the White Cross Body-Forging Technique wasn't a stage-based leap, but rather taught me a hidden "secret technique."

His eyes brightened, and he smiled.

A powerful kicking technique developed by the former Vice-Captain of the "Healing Knights" and head of the Four Great Knights, the "Silver Crown Knight" Agni Baldwin—the "Bone-Crushing Kick"!'

According to the secret notebook's author, the recorder Espi, Agni had relied on this "Bone-Crushing Kick" to shatter a 15-centimeter-thick solid wrought-iron city gate with a single blow!

Not kicked open, not kicked through, but shattered!

To be able to kick a thick wrought-iron gate into fragments—the explosive power in that instant was unimaginable.

Although I certainly can't reach that level yet...

Gilan stood on his toes, eager to try.

I should still be able to land a strike far stronger than that of an ordinary person, right?